Apr 29, 2009 08:00 ET

Imation Ships New M-Class and S-Class SSD Drives and All-in-One Upgrade Kit; Products Designed to Unleash the Performance of Your Computer

MLC- and SLC-Based SSDs Combine Sleek, Yet Rugged Design; Kit Offers Easy, Economical Way to Upgrade

OAKDALE, Minn. --(Business Wire)-- Apr 29, 2009 Imation Corp. (NYSE:IMN) today announced it is shipping its highly anticipated M-Class and S-Class Solid State Drives (SSDs) in the Americas, boasting lightning-fast performance in an energy efficient, affordable solution. Also available are Imation’s M-Class and S-Class SSDs with Upgrade Kits, offering progressive users a complete, easy way to upgrade an existing Hard Disk Drive (HDD) computer system to one that is SSD-based, without buying a new computer. The Upgrade Kit provides PC users an affordable solution from a trusted brand for improving performance and extending the life of their PCs, a much-needed boost in today’s economic environment.

Imation’s high-quality, second-generation SSD products combine powerful technology with an elegant design that helps users upgrade from traditional computing performance. Both the Imation M-Class and S-Class SSD products deliver fast boot times, enable applications to load in a fraction of the traditional time, and harness the power to run graphics and design programs the way they were intended. Along with the unique Imation Upgrade Kit, users can take advantage of the latest SSD technology without replacing system hardware and while preserving their current applications and data.

“We recognize that users have many choices when it comes to SSDs. Those who demand speed and performance in a high-quality, rugged solution can trust Imation SSD drives to enable the computer to keep pace with the latest applications and enhance the user experience,” said Subodh Kulkarni, vice president, Global Commercial Business, Imation. “However, we are also very aware that today’s users want to extend the life of their computers, both for environmental and economic reasons. A computer that uses SSD consumes less power and gives off less heat, making it more environmentally-friendly. Therefore, Imation makes it easy to retrofit a traditional HDD system with an SSD drive for a fraction of the cost, extending the life of the system, but still enabling the user to consistently get better performance from their computer.”

Designed for the power user who demands faster performance; the custom developer designing systems for kiosks, mobile applications or harsh environments; and the IT manager looking to leverage their current systems but increase power; the advantages of Imation’s high-quality SSD technology over traditional HDDs are clear. Featuring balanced superior performance without motors or moving parts, Imation SSDs deliver faster and more reliable storage and retrieval than traditional HDDs with reduced heat and noise generation. The energy-efficient controller technology runs on about half the power needed to run an HDD, and less heat requires less energy to keep it cool.

For HDD users who want a simple way to push the performance edge, Imation’s SSD with Upgrade Kit enables an easy retrofit of an existing system to a high-performance machine at a fraction of the cost of replacing the entire system. The kit includes everything needed to make the transition to the latest SSD technology a snap. Laptop kits include the 2.5-inch SSD drive, Acronis® True Image HD™ imaging software for fast data transfer and backup and easy-to-follow instructions, along with a USB-to-SATA or SATA-to-SATA connector cable, power cable or power adapter. Desktop kits include the 3.5-inch SSD drive, the Acronis® True Image HD™ imaging software power and easy-to-follow instructions, along with a SATA connector and power cable or adapter.

Pricing and Availability

Imation’s M-Class and S-Class SSD drives are now available in 2.5-inch and 3.5-inch configurations through authorized Imation distributors, wholesalers, resellers and e-tailers in the Americas. Imation SSD drives are available in 32GB, 64GB and 128GB capacities for a starting MSRP of US $189.99 for M-Class and US $659.99 for S-Class. Imation SSD Upgrade Kits including a 64GB or 128GB SSD drive are available for a starting MSRP of US $299.99 for M-Class and US $1,299.99 for S-Class.

For more information about Imation’s SSD portfolio, please visit www.imation.com/ssd.

About Imation Corp.

Imation is a leading global developer and marketer of branded products that enable people to capture, save and enjoy digital information. Our world-class portfolio of digital storage products, audio and video electronics and accessories reaches customers through a powerful global distribution network. Our goal is a company with strong commercial and consumer businesses and continued long-term growth and profitability that creates shareholder value. Imation Corp.'s global brand portfolio, in addition to the Imation brand, includes the Memorex brand, one of the most widely recognized names in the consumer electronics industry, famous for the slogan, "Is it live or is it Memorex?" and the XtremeMac brand. Imation is also the exclusive licensee of the TDK Life on Record brand, one of the world's leading recording media brands. Additional information about Imation is available at http://www.imation.com.

Imation, the Imation logo, Memorex, the Memorex logo, ‘Is it live or is it Memorex?’ and XtremeMac are trademarks of Imation Corp. and its subsidiaries. The TDK Life on Record logo is a trademark of TDK Corporation. All other trademarks are property of their respective owners.

Imation Corp.
Mary Rawlings-Taylor, 651-704-6796
mjrawlings-taylor@imation.com
or
Brodeur Partners
Jamie Ernst, 602-224-4046
jernst@brodeur.com
Lisa Grau, 760-635-8640
lgrau@brodeur.com